Fishing reel

ABSTRACT

A spool shaft is secured to the body of the fishing reel at the center thereof by press-fitting or the like, and projects from the body. The swing member is supported by the shaft so that the member is swingable between first and second positions. A spool is rotatably fitted on the shaft. A spring is strung between the long restriction arm of the swing member in a direction opposite a pin implanted in the body, and urges the member to put the arm in the second position, to restrict the swinging of the swing member. An intermediate gear is rotatably fitted on a shaft secured to the other arm of the swing member, and is always engaged with a drive gear provided on the spool. A drag gear is provided near the intermediate gear so that the latter can be engaged with the former when the swing member is in the second position. A swing member can be prevented from moving at the time of fishline casting operation or the like so as to cause the intermediate gear to collide against the drag gear.

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/063,703, filed May 20,1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,006, issued Feb. 28, 1995.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present device relates to a fishing reel including a drag mechanismwhich does not act to a spool at the time of the rotation thereof insuch a direction as to wind a fishline thereon, but automatically actsto the spool at the time of the rotation thereof in such a direction asto unwind the fishline therefrom.

A conventional fishing reel includes a one-way drag mechanism which doesnot act to a spool at the time of the rotation thereof in such adirection as to wind a fishline thereon, but automatically acts to thespool at the time of the rotation thereof in such a direction as tounwind the fishline therefrom, as disclosed in the Japan Utility ModelApplication (OPI) No. 22658/91 (the term "OPI" as used herein means an"unexamined published application"). In the drag mechanism, anintermediate gear coupled with a swing member, which is swung by africtional force as the spool is rotated, is engaged with a gear whichis rotated together with the spool, and the former gear is engaged witha drag gear at the time of the rotation of the spool in the fishlineunwinding direction and disengaged from the drag gear at the time of therotation of the spool in the fishline winding direction.

The swing member of the one-way drag mechanism of the conventionalfishing reel moves due to the vertical swinging movement of the reel atthe time of fishline casting operation so that the intermediate gearcollides against the drag gear. This causes problems that a scratch or aflaw is made in the surface of each tooth of the gears to deterioratethe reel in rotation performance and life, and the reel makes anunpleasant clatter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present device was made in order to solve the above-mentionedproblems. Accordingly, it is an object of the present device to providea fishing reel having a simple construction to prevent a swing memberfrom moving at the time of fishline casting operation or the like so asto cause a gear to collide against another gear to make a scratch or aflaw in the surface of each tooth of the gears and make a clatter,thereby improving the reel in rotation performance and life andpreventing the reel from making the unpleasant noise.

In the fishing reel, a spool shaft is supported at one end thereof, andprojects from the body of the reel. A spool is rotatably fitted on theshaft. A drive gear, which is rotated together with the spool, isengaged with an intermediate gear coupled with the swing membersupported concentrically to the spool shaft so that the member isswingable. The intermediate gear is disposed near a drag gear supportedby the body of the reel, and can be engaged with the drag gear. The reelis characterized in that a spring means urges the intermediate gear toengage it with the drag gear as the spool is rotated in such a directionas to unwind a fishline therefrom.

When the spool of the fishing reel provided in accordance with thepresent device is rotated clockwise, a clockwise swinging force acts tothe swing member but the restriction arm thereof comes into contact withan engagement and stop pin at the right of the arm to restrict theclockwise swinging of the swing member to prevent the intermediate gearfrom being engaged with the drag gear. For that reason, the dragmechanism of the reel does not act to the spool to brake the rotationthereof. As a result, the spool is allowed to be lightly rotated onlyunder the load of the fishline. When the spool is rotatedcounterclockwise because of the unwinding of the fishline therefrom, acounterclockwise swinging force acts to the swing member due to therotation of the spool to swing the member counterclockwise to engage theintermediate gear with the drag gear so that the drag mechanism acts tothe spool to brake the rotation thereof.

Since the spring means urges the swing member to put the restriction armthereof in contact with the engagement and stop pin to restrict theswinging of the member to prevent the intermediate gear from collidingagainst the drag gear so as to make the scratch or the flaw in thesurface of each tooth of the gears, the reel is improved in rotationperformance and life and prevented from making the clatter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show a fishing reel which is an embodiment of thepresent device and includes a spool shaft supported at one end thereof,where FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the reel along lines 1--1 shown inFIG. 2, and shows that the reel is built so as to rotate the spoolthereof is rotated by the right hand of a fishing person;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the reel; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the reel in the state that the spool isrotated in such a direction as to unwind a fishline therefrom.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a fishing reel which is a modification ofthe embodiment and includes a spool shaft supported at one end thereof.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a fishing reel which is anothermodification of the embodiment and includes a spool shaft supported atone end thereof.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a fishing reel which is another embodimentof the device, includes a spool shaft supported at one end thereof, andcan be either built so as to rotate the spool of the reel by the righthand of a fishing person, or built so as to rotate the spool by the lefthand thereof, the reel shown in FIG. 6 being in the state that it isbuilt so as to rotate the spool by the right hand of the person.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are sectional views of the engagement and stop pin andengagement and stop screw of the reel shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the reel in the state that the spool shownin FIG. 6 is rotated in such a direction as to unwind a fishlinetherefrom.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the reel shown in FIG. 6 in the state thatit is built so as to rotate the spool by the left hand of the fishingperson.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the reel shown in FIG. 9 in the statethat the spool is rotated in such a direction as to unwind the fishlinetherefrom.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the reel in the state that a spring isdisposed in the same position as the state shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, butthe reel is built so as to rotate the spool by the left hand of theperson.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present device are hereafter described with referenceto the drawings attached hereto.

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show a fishing reel which is one of the embodiments andincludes a spool shaft 2 supported at one end thereof. FIG. 1 is asectional view of the reel along lines 1--1 shown in FIG. 2, and showsthe reel in the state that it is built so as to rotate the spool 4 ofthe reel by the right hand of a fishing person. FIG. 2 is a sectionalview of the reel. FIG. 3 is the same sectional view of the reel as shownin FIG. 1.

The fishing reel includes a body 1, the spool shaft 2, a swing member 3,the spool 4, a drive gear 4a, a spring 5, an intermediate gear 6, a draggear 7, a drag screw 8, a pin 10, an engagement and stop pin 11, a shaft12, a spool rotation knob 13, a knob shaft 14, an engagement plate 15, aspring 16, a friction plate 17, a helical spring 18, a drag member 19,an E-shaped ring 20, a friction plate 21, a drag plate 22, and a platespring 23.

The spool shaft 2 is secured to the body 1 at the center thereof bypress-fitting or the like, and projects from the inner surface of thebody. The swing member 3 is supported by the shaft 2 so that the memberis swingable. The spool 4 is rotatably fitted on the shaft 2. The spring5 is strung between the long restriction arm 3a of the swing member 3and the pin 10 implanted in the body 1, and urges the member 3 to putthe arm 3a in contact with the engagement and stop pin 11 implanted inthe body 1, to restrict the swinging of the member. The engagement andstop pin 11 may be removably fitted in either of holes as in another ofthe embodiments.

The swing member 3 has the long restriction arm 3a, and a short arm 3bto which the shaft 12 is secured. The intermediate gear 6 is rotatablyfitted on the shaft 12.

The drive gear 4a is provided on the spool 4 so as to be rotatedtogether therewith. The spool rotation knob 13 is rotatably fitted onthe knob shaft 14 implanted in the side of the spool 4. The intermediategear 6 is always engaged with the drive gear 4a. The engagement plate 15is provided on the spool 4 at the center thereof to keep the spool inposition removably on the spool shaft 2, and is urged by the spring 16.

The body 1 has a cylindrical portion 1a, on the peripheral surface ofwhich the drag gear 7 is fitted. The friction plate 17 is pinchedbetween one side of the drag gear 7 and the inner surface of the body.The drag screw 8 is inserted in the body 1 concentrically to thecylindrical portion 1a so that head of the screw is located as a knob inthe outer surface of the body, and the shank of the screw extendsthrough the cylindrical portion and is screw-engaged in the drag member19. The helical spring 18 is fitted between the body 1 and the shank ofthe screw 8, and between the body and the drag member 19. The E-shapedring 20 is fitted on the shank of the screw 8 at the tip of the shank toprevent the drag member 19 from coming off. The friction plate 21, thedrag plate 22 and the plate spring 23 are fitted on the peripheralsurface of the drag member 19 so that the friction plate is in pressurecontact with the other side of the drag gear 7.

When the spool 4 is rotated clockwise with regard to FIG. 1 as shown bya curved arrow therein, a clockwise swinging force acts to the swingmember 3 but the restriction arm 3a thereof comes into contact with theengagement and stop pin 11 to restrict the clockwise swinging of theswing member to prevent the intermediate gear 6 from being engaged withthe drag gear 7. A washer 2a is mounted on the shaft 2 in order tofrictionally couple the spool 4 to the swing member 3, thus providingthe swinging force acting therebetween. As a result, the drag mechanismof the fishing reel does not act to the spool 4 to brake the rotationthereof. For that reason, the spool 4 is allowed to be lightly rotatedonly under the load of a fishline 24. When the spool 4 is rotatedcounterclockwise with regard to FIG. 3 because of the unwinding of thefishline 24 from the spool as shown by a curved arrow in the drawing, acounterclockwise swinging force acts to the swing member 3 due to therotation of the spool so that the member is swung counterclockwise. As aresult, the intermediate gear 6 is engaged with the drag gear 7. Forthat reason, the drag mechanism acts to the spool 4 to brake thecounterclockwise rotation thereof.

Since the spring 5 urges the swing member 3 to put the restriction arm3a thereof in contact with the engagement and stop pin 11 to restrictthe swinging of the member to prevent the intermediate gear 6 fromcolliding against the drag gear 7 at the time of fishline castingoperation or the like so as to make a scratch or a flaw in the surfaceof each tooth of the gears, the fishing reel is improved in rotationperformance and life and prevented from making a clatter. Since theurging tensile force of the spring 5 is set to be weaker than thefrictional swinging force which is generated at the time of the rotationof the spool 4 to swing the member 3, it can be properly swung.

Although the spool 4 is rotated by the right hand of the fishing person,the fishing reel may be built so as to place the components thereof inmirror-image-like reverse positions to rotate the spool by the left handof the person.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a fishing reel which is a modification ofthe preceding embodiment and includes a spool shaft 2 supported at oneend thereof. The difference of the reel from the preceding one is thatthe reel includes a swing member 3 having two long restriction arms 3aand 3b, and a spring 5 is strung between one arm 3a and a pin 10implanted in the body 1 of the reel, and urges the swing member to putthe other arm 3b in contact with an engagement and stop pin 11 implantedin the body, to restrict the swinging of the member.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a fishing reel which is anothermodification of the preceding embodiment and includes a spool shaft 2supported at one end thereof. The difference of the reel from that shownin FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 is that the reel does not include a restriction pinsuch as the engagement and stop pin 11, but includes two springs 5 and5' which are strung between the long restriction arm 3a of a swingmember 3 and two pins 10 implanted in the body 1 of the reel and locatedsymmetrically to each other about the arm, and urge the swing member toput it in such a position as not to engage an intermediate gear 6 with adrag gear 7. It is preferable that the spring 5 is slightly stronger inurging tensile force than the other spring 5'.

FIGS. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 show a fishing reel which is another of theembodiments and includes a spool shaft 2 supported at one end thereof.The reel can be either built so as to rotate the spool 4 thereof by theright hand of a fishing person, or built so as to rotate the spool bythe left hand thereof. FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the reel in thestate that it is built so as to rotate the spool 4 by the right hand ofthe person. FIGS. 7A and 7B show the engagement and stop pin 9 of thereel and one modification thereof, respectively. FIG. 8 is a sectionalview of the reel to illustrate the rotation of the spool 4 in such adirection as to unwind a fishline 24 therefrom. FIG. 9 is a sectionalview of the reel in the state that it is built so as to rotate the spool4 by the left hand of the person. FIG. 10 is a sectional view of thereel to illustrate the rotation of the spool 4 in such a direction as tounwind the fishline 24 therefrom. Since the reel has the precedingembodiment with regard to the part shown in FIG. 2, the reel ishereinafter described with reference to FIG. 2 as well.

The fishing reel includes a body 1, the spool shaft 2, a swing member 3,the spool 4, a drive gear 4a, a spring 5, intermediate gears 6 and 6', adrag gear 7, a drag screw 8, the engagement and stop pin 9, two pins 10,a shaft 12, a spool rotation knob 13, a knob shaft 14, an engagementplate 15, a spring 16, a friction plate 17, a helical spring 18, a dragmember 19, an E-shaped ring 20, a friction plate 21, a drag plate 22, aplate spring 23, a shaft 25, and metal plates 26 and 27.

The spool shaft 2 is secured to the body 1 at the center thereof bypress-fitting or the like, and projects from the inner surface of thebody. The swing member 3 is supported by the spool shaft 2 so that themember is swingable. The spool 4 is rotatably fitted on the shaft 2. Thespring 5 is strung between the long restriction arm 3a of the swingmember 3 and one of the two pins 10 implanted in the body 1, and urgesthe swing member to put the arm in contact with the engagement and stoppin 9 attached to the body, to restrict the swinging of the member. Theswing member 3 has the long restriction arm 3a, and two short arms 3band 3c to which the shafts 12 and 25 are secured. The intermediate gears6 and 6' are rotatably fitted on the shafts 12 and 25.

The body 1 has holes 1b and 1c located near the long restriction arm 3aof the swing member 3, as shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7A. The metal plates26 and 27 for magnetic attraction are secured in the holes 1b and 1c atthe bottoms thereof so that the engagement and stop pin 9 made of magnetis removably fitted in either one of the holes 1b and 1c. Tapped holes1d and 1e and an engagement and stop screw 9 may be provided instead ofthe holes 1b and 1c and the engagement and stop pin 9, as shown in FIG.7B. The screw 9 has a shank 9a to be engaged in one of the tapped holes1d and 1e.

The drive gear 4a is provided on the spool 4 so as to be rotatedtogether therewith. The shaft 14 is secured to the side of the spool 4.The spool rotation knob 13 is rotatably fitted on the shaft 14. Theintermediate gears 6 and 6' are always engaged with the drive gear 4a.The engagement plate 15 is provided on the spool 4 at the center thereofto keep the spool in position removably on the spool shaft 2, and isurged by the spring 16.

The body 1 has a cylindrical portion 1a, on the peripheral surface ofwhich the drag gear 7 is fitted so that the friction plate 17 is pinchedbetween one side of the gear and the body. The drag screw 8 is insertedin the body 1 concentrically to the cylindrical portion 1a so that thehead of the screw is located as a knob in the outer surface of the body,and the shank of the screw extends through the cylindrical portion andis screw-engaged in the drag member 19. The helical spring 18 is fittedbetween the body 1 and the shank of the screw 8, and between the bodyand the drag member 19. The E-shaped ring 20 is fitted on the shank ofthe screw 8 at the tip of the shank to prevent the drag member 19 fromcoming off. The friction plate 21, the drag plate 22 and the platespring 23 are fitted on the peripheral surface of the drag member 19 sothat the friction plate is in pressure contact with the other side ofthe drag gear 7.

If the fishing reel is built so as to rotate the spool 4 by the righthand of the fishing person, the engagement and stop pin 9 made of amagnet is fitted in the hole 1b of the body 1 at the right of therestriction arm 3a of the swing member 3 and the spring 5 is strungbetween the arm and one of the pins 10, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8. Whenthe spool 4 is then rotated clockwise with regard to FIG. 6 as shown bya curved arrow therein, to wind the fishline 24 on the spool, aclockwise swinging force acts to the swing member 3 but the restrictionarm 3a thereof comes into contact with the engagement and stop pin 9 torestrict the clockwise swinging of the swing member to prevent both theintermediate gears 6 and 6' from being engaged with the drag gear 7. Asa result, the drag mechanism of the reel does not act to the spool 4 tobrake the rotation thereof. For that reason, the spool 4 is allowed tobe lightly rotated only under the load of the fishline 24. When thespool 4 is rotated counterclockwise with regard to FIG. 8 because of theunwinding of the fishline 24 from the spool as shown by a curved arrowin the drawing, a counterclockwise swinging force acts to the swingmember 3 due to the rotation of the spool so that the member is swingcounterclockwise, because the engagement and stop pin 9 is not locatedat the left of the restriction arm 3a of the member. As a result, theintermediate gear 6 is engaged with the drag gear 7 so that the dragmechanism acts to the spool 4 to brake the counterclockwise rotationthereof.

If the reel is built so as to rotate the spool 4 by the left hand of thefishing person, the engagement and stop pin 9 made of the magnet isfitted in the other hole 1c of the body 1 at the left of the restrictionarm 3a of the swing member 3 and the spring 5 is strung between the armand the other pin 10, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. When the spool 4 isthen rotated counterclockwise with regard to FIG. 9 as shown by a curvedarrow therein, to wind the fishline 24 on the spool, a counterclockwiseswinging force acts to the swing member 3 but the restriction arm 3athereof comes into contact with the engagement and stop pin 9 torestrict the counterclockwise swinging of the swing member to preventboth the intermediate gears 6 and 6' from being engaged with the draggear 7. As a result, the drag mechanism does not act to the spool 4 tobrake the rotation thereof. For that reason, the spool 4 is allowed tobe lightly rotated only under the load of the fishline 24. When thespool 4 is rotated clockwise with regard to FIG. 10 because of theunwinding of the fishline 24 from the spool as shown by a curved arrowin the drawing, a clockwise swinging force acts to the swing member 3due to the rotation of the spool so that the member is swung clockwisebecause the engagement and stop pin 9 is not located at the right of therestriction arm 3a of the swing member. As a result, the intermediategear 6' is engaged with the drag gear 7 so that the drag mechanism actsto the spool 4 to brake the clockwise rotation thereof.

Since the spring 5 urges the swing member 3 to put the restriction arm3a thereof in contact with the engagement and stop pin 9 to restrict theswinging of the swing member to prevent the intermediate gears 6 and 6'from colliding against the drag gear 7 at the time of fishline castingoperation or the like so as to make a scratch or a flaw in the surfaceof each tooth of the gears, the fishing reel is improved in rotationperformance and life and prevented from making a clatter.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the fishing reel in the state that thespring 5 is disposed in the same position as the state shown in FIGS. 6and 8, but the reel is built so as to rotate the spool 4 by the lefthand of the fishing person. In this state, the engagement and stop pin 9made of the magnet is fitted in the left hole 1c of the body 1, and thespring 5 urges the swing member 3 clockwise with regard to FIG. 11 tousually engage the intermediate gear 6' with the drag gear 7. When thespool 4 is rotated counterclockwise with regard to FIG. 11 as shown by acurved dotted-line arrow therein, a counterclockwise swinging force actsto the swing member 3 but the restriction arm 3a thereof comes intocontact with the engagement and stop pin 9 to restrict thecounterclockwise swinging of the swing member, and the intermediate gear6' is disengaged from the drag gear 7 so that the drag mechanism doesnot act to the spool 4 to brake the counterclockwise rotation thereof.For that reason, the spool 4 is allowed to be lightly rotated only underthe load of the fishline 24. When the spool 4 is rotated clockwise withregard to FIG. 11 because of the unwinding of the fishline 24 as shownby a curved full-line arrow in FIG. 11, the intermediate gear 6' isengaged with the drag gear 7 so that the drag mechanism acts to thespool to quickly brake the clockwise rotation thereof.

Reversely to the state shown in FIG. 11, the reel may be built so thatthe spring 5 is disposed in the same position as the state shown inFIGS. 9 and 10, and the engagement and stop pin 9 is fitted in the righthole 1b, to use the reel to rotate the spool 4 by the right hand of thefishing person. As for this building, the intermediate gear 6 is usuallyengaged with the drag gear 7.

When the reel is built as shown in FIG. 11, the spring 5 urges the swingmember 3 to restrict the swinging thereof to prevent the intermediategears 6 and 6' from colliding against the drag gear 7 due to thevertical movement of the reel or the like at the time of fishlinecasting operation or the like so as to make a scratch or a flaw in thesurface of each tooth of the gears. For that reason, the reel isimproved in rotation performance and life and prevented from making aclatter.

Although each of the fishing reels is built so that the spool shaft 2 issupported at one end thereof, the present device may be embodied as adifferent fishing reel such as a fishing reel whose spool shaft issupported at both the ends thereof.

In a fishing reel provided in accordance with the present device, aspring urges a swing member to restrict the swinging thereof the preventan intermediate gear from colliding against a drag gear due to thevertical movement of the reel or the like at the time of fishlinecasting operation or the like so as to make a scratch or a flaw in thesurface of each tooth of the gears. For that reason, through a simpleconstruction, the reel is improved in rotation performance and life andprevented from making a clatter. Desirable effects are thus produced.

What is claimed is:
 1. A fishing reel, comprising:a reel main body; aspool rotatably supported on said reel main body and having a drive gearrotatable together with said spool about a spool axis; a swing memberswingably supported on said reel main body to pivot between a first andsecond position and having an intermediate gear rotatably mountedthereon in mesh with said drive gear, said intermediate gear rotatingabout an intermediate axis which pivots about said spool axis betweensaid first and second positions; a drag gear located so that saidintermediate gear is brought into mesh with said drag gear at saidsecond position through a swinging motion of said swing member; and arestriction means for urging said swing member toward said secondposition, and for permitting said swing member to be swung to said firstposition when said spool is rotated in a fishline winding direction,wherein said restriction means includes a spring provided between saidswing member and said reel main body and a pin implanted in said reelmain body, and wherein said swing member is resiliently urged towardsaid second position so as to engage said intermediate gear with saiddrag gear.
 2. The fishing reel according to claim 1, wherein said pinimplanted in said reel main body is magnetic, said pin magneticallyattracting said swing member at said first position.
 3. The fishing reelaccording to claim 1, wherein said reel main body has a support shaftprojecting therefrom for rotatably supporting said spool on said reelmain body and for swingingly supporting said swing member on said reelmain body.
 4. The fishing reel according to claim 1, wherein said springis tensioned between said swing member and said reel main body.